Folding satchel.



No. 711,802. Y Patented ont. 2|, 1902.

J. TBEVETHAN.

FOLDING `SATCHEL.

(Appuation med .rune 23, 1902.)

(No Model.)

Z Y ArrobNExsf 'UNITED STATES PATENT FEICE.

JOHN TEEVETHAN, OE BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING SATCHEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N O. 711,802, dated October 21, 1902.

Serial No. 113,286. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN TREVETHAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Folding Satchel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a metallic satchel or holder designed especially for carrying books and constructed to fold compactly when empty and to fold in close engagement at its sides with the outer side surfaces of the book-covers when the de vice iscarried or held in the hand.

Another purpose of the invention is to so construct the device that its ends and likewise its sides will always move in parallelism with each other and so that the device will stand upright in either its open or closed position and will automatically open when placed upon a support and automatically close when lifted therefrom.

Afurther purpose of theinvention is to provide a device of the character described which will be of light, durable, and economic construction and which is provided with a closed case for pencils, pens, and other small objects so located as not to interfere with the full operation of the device.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken practically on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the device closely folded. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device open. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the device closed, the section being taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section through the bottom portion of the device.

The side sections A of the device and portions of its end sections B and bottom section C are made, preferably, of thin strap-steel, although other material may be employed. The other portions of the bottom and end sections of the device are made of Wire of suitable gage. The side sections Aare parallel, and in both the open and closed position of the device face each other. Each side section A consists of vertical angular end members 10, said members being L-shaped in cross-section, a straight bottom member 11 connecting the end members at their lower ends and provided at its lower edge with an internal box-flange 11, and said flange is usually held in position by rivets or like devices at its ends, together'with a preferably straight top member 12, attached to the side members, a horizontal intermediate straight member 13, extending from one side member to the other, and intermediate straight vertical members 14., which are attached to the upper and lower members and to the intermediate horizontal member 13. Preferably wherever the members of the side sections engage they are connected by rivets or their equivalents.

Each end section B ofthe device consists of a central vertical strap member 15 and rods 16 at each side of the strap member, which rods are pivotally attached to said strap member 15 and to the vertical end member 10 of the side sections A, and said rods have a downward inclination from the strap member, as is best shown in Fig. 2.

In the construction of the bottom ,section Ca central horizontally andrlongitudinally arranged strap member 17 is employed, and series of rods 1S are pivoted to the strap member 17 near each longitudinal edge and to the opposing box-flanges 11 of the bottom members 1l of the side sections A, as is shown in Fig. 6. All of the rods 18 are diagonally locatedwith'respect to the bottom of the device, and all extend from the strap member 17 in direction of the same end of the device, as is shown in Fig. 4.

A box-receptacle 19 is provided, adapted to receive pens, pencils, or other small articles, and this box-receptacle 19 is attached to a side section A of the device at the outside portion of theup'per edge thereof, as is best shown in Fig. 2, and this box-receptacle 19 is provided with a hinged cover 20, having a suitable latch 21 to lock the said cover closed when desired. The handle for the Satchel is in the form of a bail 22, the end members of said bail being pivotally attached to the upper end portions of the vertical strap mem- IOO bers l5 of the end sections of the device, as is shown in Figs. l, 2,4 and 3. A suitable roller 23 is mounted upon the bow-sectionof the bail.

In operation when the device is placed upon a support the end portions naturally drop down and cause the side portions to spread apart, the device assuming the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The books or other articles.

to be carried are now placed in the device and may be so left until it is desired to carry them away, whereupon upon grasping the handle 23 and lifting the device, with its load, from the support as the vertical strap members of the end sections B are drawn upward they carry the rods 16 with them, and the side sections A are consequently drawn in direction of each other, and the rods 18 in the bottom correspondingly yield until the sides of the device engage with the books or other articles contained in the device, and the device will remain in such clamping engagement With its contents while the device is held out of engagement with a bottom support and while the device is being carried.

It is evident that a satchel constructed as above set forth is not only simple, durable, economic, and light, but in the carriage of articles by means of it said articles are prevented from moving around, being firmly clamped, yet in such manner as not to injure the articles, as the pressure exerted thereon by the side sections of the device is smooth and uniform.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Afoldable satchel comprising' side members, foldable end sections connected with the side sections, a handle connected totwo of said sections, and a bottom section formed by a strap and by links connected to the side sections, the arrangement of the parts being such that the strap of the bottom section is movable lengthwise of the satchel when the latter is lifted by the handle.

2. A folding satchel consisting of rigid side sections adapted for parallel movement to and from each other, end sections each consisting of a central vertical strap and rods pivotally connecting said strap With the side sections, a bottom section consisting of acentral longitudinal strap and rods pivotally connecting the said strap with the side sections of the device, said strap of the bottom section being movable longitudinally of the satchel, and ahandle connected with the upper ends of the straps of the side sections of the satchel, as described.

3. A folding Satchel consisting of rigid side sections adapted for movement to and from each other, end sections each comprising a vertical central strap free'at both ends, and rods having a downward inclination and pivotally attachedto the side portion of the strap and the said side sections, a bottom rsection comprising a central longitudinal strap free at both ends, diagonal rods pivotally attached to the side portions of the strap and pivotally connected with the side sections of the satchel, the rods extending at an inclination in direction of the same end of the satchel, and a handle pivotally attached to the upper end of the end straps of the satchel, as described.

4. A folding Satchel consisting of rigid side sections adapted for movement to and'from each other, end sections each comprising a vertical central strap free at both ends, and rods having a downward inclination and pivotally attached to the side portion of the strap and the said side sections, a bottom section comprising a centrallongitudinal strap free at both ends, diagonal rods pivotally attached to the side portions of the strap and pivotally connected with the side sections of the satchel, the rods extending at an inclination in direction ofthe same end of the satchel, a handle pivotally attached vto the upper` end of the end straps of the satchel, a box-receptacle secured to one of the side sections of the satchel, a cover for said receptacle and a latch for said cover, as set forth.

5. In a foldable satchel, the combination with side members, of a bottom section formed by a longitudinally-shiftable strap linked to the side members, end sections connected to the side members, and a handle attached to the end sections and arranged to pull them to their closedpositions, the movement of the end sections causing the side members and the bottom section to fold compactly.

6. In a foldable satchel, the combination with side sections, of end sections each having a vertically-movable strap and two series of inclined rods pivoted to the respective side sections, a handle attached to said movable straps of the end sections and arranged to pull upward thereon and to fold the end and side sections compactly together, and a foldable bottom section connected pivotally to the sections and adapted to be folded by the closing movement of said side sections.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN TREVETHAN.

Witnesses WARRING WILKINSON, DOUGLAS KEITH.

IOO 

